CBA (Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio) invested in technology to monitor water use and reduced consumption from 3,146 to 52 cubic meters per month
São Paulo, January 23, 2018 – The water crisis experienced by São Paulo in 2013 caused a race between companies in search of technologies that could reduce water consumption. Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio, (CBA), decided to install a system of monitoring consumption and obtained very expressive results.
CBA produces both cast and processed products, including profiles, sheets and foil. The water is used in all stages of the process for cooling, being a vital element for the production of aluminum. The company has sought in the market an efficient system to monitor water supply and understand all stages of the process. “We knew, for example, that there were losses, but it was not possible to monitor properly,” said Marcelo Pereira, CBA’s maintenance engineer.
According to Marcelo, with the implementation of the PI System, developed by OSIsoft, it was possible to map the entire process and drastically reduce losses and interruptions in production. Consumption fell from 3,146 cubic meters per month to 52 cubic meters, an economy of R$ 40 or 50 thousand per month. Something around R$ 600 thousand a year. “Not counting what we spent with chemicals to treat water, biocides, which represent about R$ 228 thousand a year.”
For Marcelo, another advantage of the system is to reduce to zero the stops due to lack of water. And there has been a gain in operational security due to automation that allows online and remote monitoring by everyone who needs the information.
CBA has been in the aluminum market for 60 years, from the extraction of bauxite to the transformation of the metal. Among the differentials of the company is the self generation of electricity, mostly through non-emitting and renewable sources. And the self-sufficiency of bauxite, extracted from the Miraí and Poços de Caldas units, in Minas Gerais. The company is also a leader in the recycling of industrial aluminum scrap.
See in the video a testimonial of Marcelo Pereira on the case of success in sustainability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWqA1Azkdfc&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fcba.com.br%2F&feature=emb_logo
Learn more about OSIsoft
Founded in 1980, OSIsoft is a leader in operational intelligence and its main product is PI System, one of the most used technologies for the Internet of Things in the industry. The system captures data from sensors and miscellaneous equipment and transforms information to help reduce costs, increase productivity, and create new services. OSIsoft is present in 127 countries and is used in 95% of the major oil and gas companies and in more than 65% of the Fortune 500 corporations with the largest industries.